White smoke! We have a new Pope!

[happygirl]

I was responding to some previous posters that said they were hoping that he was a progressive pope.

Please don't try to teach me Catholicism. I am well aware.

There will be no surprises with this pope.

You can't say for sure, no one knows what he will do or won't do.

 

[Pooh67_68]

It was fast, but not totally out of the ordinary. Pope Benedict was chosen a little faster.
I think people generally expected something tomorrow rather than today.

To be honest, there was very little "normal" about the process this time, given that a Pope hadn't resigned in many centuries.

Not surprising at all. They've had about a month to think about it, and to research the other cardinals!! I thought they might be done by today...glad to see that happen. They really shouldn't have needed much time to get this done.
Not RC either, but Episcopalian....very interesting to watch the process. Hoping Pope Francis finds the guidance he is going to need for this journey!!! What a huge responsibility.
Now one has to wonder what happens to those that normally surround the pope. Does the new pope get to bring in his own 'people'??

Thank you.

Like i said i'm not catholic, so this is actually the first time i watched and just thought wow that was fast.

 

[Caradana]

It was fast . Imagine if we had the Senate vote among themselves for the Presidency. Would it ever end? And would it look like a scene from Lord of the Flies?

 

[DopeyDame]

I was responding to some previous posters that said they were hoping that he was a progressive pope.

Please don't try to teach me Catholicism. I am well aware.

There will be no surprises with this pope.

If your only definition of progressive is relating to Church teachings regarding sexuality, than I suspect you're right - there will be no surprises with this, or any other Pope, in the near future.

However, Jesuits - even conservative ones - chose to enter the Society of Jesus instead of become diocesan priests for a reason. Something about the charism of that order appealed to Pope Francis, and appeals to many, many people. A lot of people consider their preferrential treatment of the poor, dedication to education, missionary work, and call to be "men and women for others" to be progressive.

It was a surprise that the chosen Pope is from the southern hemisphere. It was a surprise that he chose the name Francis. In just a few hours we've already had two surprises. I figure there might just be SOME additional surprises during his papacy.

 

[LSmith]

If your only definition of progressive is relating to Church teachings regarding sexuality, than I suspect you're right - there will be no surprises with this, or any other Pope, in the near future.

However, Jesuits - even conservative ones - chose to enter the Society of Jesus instead of become diocesan priests for a reason. Something about the charism of that order appealed to Pope Francis, and appeals to many, many people. A lot of people consider their preferrential treatment of the poor, dedication to education, missionary work, and call to be "men and women for others" to be progressive.

It was a surprise that the chosen Pope is from the southern hemisphere. It was a surprise that he chose the name Francis. In just a few hours we've already had two surprises. I figure there might just be SOME additional surprises during his papacy.

Yeah, those revelations absolutely floored me. Was not expecting that!

 

[nuttylawprofessor]

Are you saying the Jesuits are Opus Dei?

I'm saying that the order is so large, they stretch theologically from liberal to conservative and everything between.

And this statement is both brilliant and true:
"Right of the tea party on social issues and to the left of socialism on economic issues."

Change will happen in the church, but slowly.

 

[NotUrsula]

Don't lose sight of the fact that there is more than one Saint named Francis. No Jesuit, no matter how humble, invokes that name without also thinking of Francis Xavier.

Also, btw, to clarify, he is simply Francis, not Francis I. (If there is ever another Pope named Francis he will retroactively get a number, but right now he is the one and only Pope by that name.)

 

[JaneBanks]

It has been confirmed that he took the name Francis after Francis of Assisi.

 

[NotUrsula]

Oh, I didn't say that he didn't; I believe him about that. However, as a man who has been a Jesuit for many decades, the legacy of Francis Xavier has also had to have been very influential for him; there is just no escaping that if you are a Jesuit. (He is right up there next to Loyola in importance to the Society.)

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I haven't considered myself Catholic since thirteen, but I am still Christian, and keep track of the Catholic Church in bits and pieces.

While I like the fact that they have decided to pick someone from the Americas, I am disappointed that they didn't pick a younger and more liberal person. When Christianity is having a hard time attracting people under 40, having a Pope that's 76 years old is probably not going to help.

 

[LuvinLucifer]

It has been confirmed that he took the name Francis after Francis of Assisi.

I wonder if he's an animal lover.

 

[NotUrsula]

I haven't considered myself Catholic since thirteen, but I am still Christian, and keep track of the Catholic Church in bits and pieces.

While I like the fact that they have decided to pick someone from the Americas, I am disappointed that they didn't pick a younger and more liberal person. When Christianity is having a hard time attracting people under 40, having a Pope that's 76 years old is probably not going to help.

The Pope is always "chosen old" for a reason. Not only is being a Cardinal not something that happens to the young, but because the normal end of a Pope's term is death, choosing from the ranks of elder officials is viewed as a good strategy for ensuring that no one person stays too long in the post. (And yes, it didn't work out so well in the case of John Paul II; the method isn't foolproof, but normally it is effective for this purpose.)

 

[TLSnell1981]

I haven't considered myself Catholic since thirteen, but I am still Christian, and keep track of the Catholic Church in bits and pieces.

While I like the fact that they have decided to pick someone from the Americas, I am disappointed that they didn't pick a younger and more liberal person. When Christianity is having a hard time attracting people under 40, having a Pope that's 76 years old is probably not going to help.

You don't change the church to attract young people. It's not a popularity club. The Catholic Church has survived for centuries and will continue to do so.

 

[PrincessKsMom]

I wonder if he's an animal lover.

Just noticed your post and your user name.

 

[momabaarjo]

You don't change the church to attract young people. It's not a popularity club. The Catholic Church has survived for centuries and will continue to do so.

You are so right! And I think this man (remember he is just a man) will attract young people. Look at what John Paul did, amazing! Age has nothing to do with attracting young people, it is the life you lead and the example you set forth. May God bless Pope Francis!

 

[Southernmiss]

You don't change the church to attract young people. It's not a popularity club. The Catholic Church has survived for centuries and will continue to do so.

And you know, the young people I know very active in the church do not want it to change. They are proud that the church upholds what it stands for. It's really amazing the number of teens and 20 somethings who love going to adoration and Reconciliation. My son 18 and his friends were coming home from a road trip when I texted him the news yesterday and he was eager to learn more about Pope Francis. After seeing some news coverage last night, he said "I like him, I think I will like him as Pope." And that was the consensus among he and his 3 Catholic friends who were here.

In an earlier post I did mention mend some ways and modernize things, but I think this pope will do that in his own way. He seems to be very concerned for the poor and social justice issues. I definitely did not get that vibe with B16. Pope Benedict seemed to be almost a fashionista and a person who enjoys the finer things. Nothing wrong with those per se, but I think people relate better to a Pope who would be more like what we think of as Jesus.

I have a friend who asks would Jesus even go to Rome if he were here today or would he be in the Sudan and Syria and third world regions of the earth.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

Everyone keeps saying Catholicism has bee around for years and will continue forever, but the numbers are dwindling. In my Christian church, 75% of the 500+ members identify themselves as former Catholics.

Religion in America as a whole has declined over the last 100 years. When I was a kid, less than half if my classmates went to church. Now most of those classmates don't take their kids to church. Some have found religion as adults, but most aren't willing to give up a few hours on a Sunday morning. And look at all of the businesses and activities open and happening on Sunday mornings.

Maybe this whole process of a Pope stepping down and choosing a new pope will ignite some curiosity around religion for the younger generations and will help get the butts in the places if worship, regardless of religion.

 

[TLSnell1981]

No one could fill the shoes of Pope John Paul ll. Pope Benedict was a filler.

 

[PrincessKsMom]

Everyone keeps saying Catholicism has bee around for years and will continue forever, but the numbers are dwindling. In my Christian church, 75% of the 500+ members identify themselves as former Catholics.

Religion in America as a whole has declined over the last 100 years. When I was a kid, less than half if my classmates went to church. Now most of those classmates don't take their kids to church. Some have found religion as adults, but most aren't willing to give up a few hours on a Sunday morning. And look at all of the businesses and activities open and happening on Sunday mornings.

Maybe this whole process of a Pope stepping down and choosing a new pope will ignite some curiosity around religion for the younger generations and will help get the butts in the places if worship, regardless of religion.

But I think the bigger picture reflects that there are millions of Catholics worldwide. The US is but a very small percentage of worldwide Catholics. I think that the number are dwindling here, not so sure about everywhere else. And I think many in the US have a hard time believing in their faith when the Church has done so much harm and taken so little responsibility.

 

[Southernmiss]

No one could fill the shoes of Pope John Paul ll. Pope Benedict was a filler.

See, I never got the extreme love for JPII that a lot of people did.

In fact, when he became so frail that they had to prop him up at the end of his Pontificate that really turned me off, I really thought he should step down. I do admire B16 for stepping down before it became so obvious that he was frail.